Rotherham Council announces joint venture with BT

Rotherham
Metropolitan Borough Council has unveiled a 12-year, £150m joint venture
project with BT to revolutionise its operations.

BT
will invest £30m in technology over 12 years to radically improve delivery of
services – including HR and payroll.

The
authority will save £50m by allowing more money to be re-directed to frontline
services.

The
partnership will have a turnover of £150m over 12 years.

The
new company – RBT Connect – which stands for Rotherham Brought Together – is
expected to be finalised in the next few weeks.

It
will manage all HR and payroll, information and communications technology
functions, procurement, revenues and benefits.

The
council has already saved £1m through better management of its procurement
process.

Mark
Edgell, Rotherham Council leader, believes the move will help council staff
learn new skills, widen their experience and develop their careers through
improved training and learning opportunities.

All
staff will remain employees of the council and their conditions of employment
will remain the same.

Edgell
said: "Rotherham recognises that to bring the necessary efficiencies and
improved business processes to the council and citizens it serves, significant
investment is needed. The council would find it difficult to make this level of
investment alone, and will benefit from the consequent savings it would
bring."